The sound of rain used to be a welcome and relaxing sound, but for听some听people affected by Cyclone Gabrielle听10听months ago,听it听now brings听back terrifying memories and feelings of anxiety.听听听
Heavy rain and flooding in northern Hawke鈥檚 Bay听on Wednesday听brought up听those feelings听and听laid bare the need for long-term mental health support.听听听
Emergency services responded to flooded homes, cars,听and debris on roads in Wairoa,听Nuhaka, Mahia, Mohaka,听and听Whakaki听after听MetService听recorded听129听millimeters听of rain听at its听Wairoa听station听in the 12 hours from 7听p.m.听Tuesday.听听听
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little believes people are听experiencing听rain anxiety.听听听
One property that flooded again was听Nuhaka听School, which has been听operating听out of听a chapel since it was damaged in听Cyclone Gabrielle.听The chapel听has now flooded too.听听听
Nuhaka School's temporary chapel premises were damaged in Wednesday's flooding after the school site was damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Raelene McFarlane听 听
Principal Raelene McFarlane said听it听brought back听the听rawness,听tears,听and memories of听Cyclone Gabrielle, showing just how听affected听students and the wider community still are.听听听
When there is heavy rain the students听worry,听about the roads and听whether听the bus will听get听them home. When the school closes, it heightens anxiety, so they try听to avoid doing that,听she said.听听听
After the cyclone,听the school received extra staff and funding support, but McFarlane听said听Wednesday鈥檚 flooding shows the need for ongoing, long-term support, both in the school and听district.听听听
鈥淥ne [counselling] visit听isn鈥檛听going to cut it. Two or three听aren鈥檛听going to cut it. The research is clear听that听when听you鈥檙e听reliving it day after day, it carries on and听that鈥檚听what we are finding here.听听
鈥淚t just feels like the world has moved on but听we鈥檙e听still living it.鈥澨听
For those small towns accessing professional support can be difficult and people sometimes听have to听travel out of town for it.听听听
Mayor Little agrees there is a need for more听support,听and听he听hopes the incoming government will听address it.听听听
鈥淗opefully this听new government听[is] really听going to听focus听on all those听bits听rural areas like Wairoa miss out on, cause we鈥檙e part of this country as well and we don鈥檛 want to be travelling two and a half hours to get it, it needs to be based in Wairoa and there鈥檚 obviously a real need at the moment.鈥澨听
Since the cyclone, all schools in the area have been visited by听the听Resource听Teacher Learning and听Behaviour听service. That service and the Ministry of听Education鈥檚听Learning Support team have a joint system that can be requested by teachers and students who need听additional听support.听听听
Ministry Deputy Secretary听Central, Jocelyn Mikaere, said they have been running workshops around听behaviour听and trauma听to support teachers and there are听additional听resources for counselling, staffing support,听and funding for school-led initiatives to improve attendance and engagement.听听听
There is also support for schools with property damage.听听
A听Te听Whatu听Ora听Health New Zealand听spokesperson听said it is expected there will be a continued mental wellbeing demand in Hawke鈥檚 Bay.听听听
The Government鈥檚 cyclone recovery package includes听$10 million for community-led mental health and wellbeing support, including extending the Mana Ake听programme听which helps primary and intermediate-aged children.听听听
The intent is to have听it听available to all primary and intermediate schools in Hawke鈥檚 Bay and听Tair颅膩whiti, with some services听commencing听early next school year, the spokesperson said.听听听
Shannon Johnstone is a journalist at听九一星空无限talk ZB听based in Auckland covering education and general news. She joined听九一星空无限talk ZB听in 2021 and previously worked at听Hawke's Bay Today.听听听听
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